May 12, 2007
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Blog
That!Anyone
who knows me is well aware that I support Exeter City Football Club,
and have indeed done so for over 30 years. Despite having experienced
several good times, with some good cup runs, a championship ensuring
promotion to the old Division 3 (now League 1) in 1990, and also –
of course – the cup matches against the Manc Scum just 2 years ago, those good times have been more than counter-balanced by the amount
of bad times, and what a lot of people don't know is that the cup
games against the Manc Scum did in fact save ECFC from going
bankrupt. The team was relegated to the Conference four years ago,
had scandals about the management, and was in debt to the tune of
millions of pounds.
Promotion
back to the league was expected by the fans in each of the last four
years, but Exeter missed out by a point, a goal or a place each year.
Until this year. On the last day, for the first time, all other
results went the right way, Exeter won, and claimed the final place
for the play-offs, with a two-legged match against Oxford, who
themselves had just been relegated from the League.
Exeter
had not won a game that was being shown live on TV in 15 attempts,
and Sky – in their eternal wisdom – decided that the
Exeter-Oxford matches would both be shown live. If ever there was a
time for the team to stand up and perform, then this was it, alas the
game was not the best performance from either team, Oxford ending up
winning 1-0.
After
the game I got a mail from one of the friends I met in Taiwan, who
now lives in Dubai. He was – it has to be said – taking the piss
more than just a little, reckoning that the season was pretty much
over for Exeter.
"Blog
that!" he said. Fair enough...Having
lost the first game at St James' Park in Exeter, it was then do or
die time in Oxford, once again in front of a live TV audience.
Nothing less than a win would be enough, but it was Oxford who went
ahead, 1-0.
One
of the things I love about Exeter City is the way they fight, and
they leveled the score on the evening on the half hour mark, and then
with just 20 minutes left, a stunning winning goal that squared up
the tie. It went to penalties, and despite missing two, Oxford had
one penalty saved, and two which hit the post to take Exeter City to
Wembley for the play-off final, the team's first ever trip to the
English national stadium.
I
have booked my flight from Slovenia (perfect timing, don't you
think?) and the tickets to the game – pops and my old mate (a
Watford fan) Paul joining me. The game takes place on Sunday, 20th
May, Exeter pitted against Morecambe. And like thousands of City fans
around the country, around the world, I am as excited as a child.
City's
going to Wembley! But, of course, if you read nothing more after then
game, then you know we lost. But until then...
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